Drum.



F. L. OCONNER.

DRUM.

APPLICATION FILED 050. 3, 915.

1 ,204:,1 82. Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

N N Q g? g m a N N N INVENTOR WITNESSES BY z a UTE STATE FRED L. OCONNER, OF DORCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

DRUM.

Application filed December 3, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, From L. QCoNNnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dorchester, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Drums, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved drum and particularly to the snare drum type of instrument. The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved means for tightening the head of the drum, the head engaging band or hoop being connected with a tightening hoop adjustably mounted upon the body portion of the drum.

Another object of the invention is to so construct this drum that the heads at both ends of the drum may be secured by similar securing means, the head engaging hoop at the lower end of the drum being provided with snare holding means.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein there is disclosed a drum principally in elevation and having one side portion broken away to more clearly illustrate the construction of the improved drum.

The body portion 10 of this drum is preferably formed of wood and is provided with a metallic jacket or covering 11 which is secured to the wooden body portion by means of screws or other fasteners 12 and is provided with a thickened central portion forming a threaded band or collar 18 as clearly shown. Openings 14. are provided so that the air may escape from the interior of the drum when the drum is being played.

The heads 15 and 16 are formed of any suitable material such as a sheet of calf skin and fit upon the ends of the body portion as clearly shown. Rings 17 and 18 are provided for the edge portions of the heads 15 and 16. The hoops 19 and 20 engage the rings 17 and 18 and as these hoops are connected with the internally threaded rings 21 and 22 by means of the strips 23 and 24 it will be readily seen that when the rings 21 and 22 are turned to engage the threaded collar 13 and move toward the center of the body portion, the hoops 19 and 20 will be drawn toward the center of the body portion thus very tightly Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). G.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

Serial No. 64,929.

stretching the heads 15 and 16. Therefore by simply turning the rings 21 and 22 the tightness of the two heads 15 and 16 can be controlled. It should be further noted that the strips '23 and 2st will serve as handholds for permitting the rings 21 and 22 and hoops 19 and-20 to be very easily turned as well as serving as means for connecting the hoops with the adjusting rings. The snares 25 are carried by hoop 20, and at one end are rigidly secured to the hoop by being provided with enlarged heads 26. The free end portions of the snares extend through the hoop and are connected with a suitable tightening device as shown at 27.

There has therefore been provided a drum which is so constructed that the heads may be tightened very easily and very quickly and further a drum in which the heads may be-tightened with a single operation instead of requiring a great many operations as in the case with drums in which the heads are tightened by means of keys. It should be further noted that with this attachment the heads will be stretched equally in all directions and that there will be no danger of the heads not being stretched properly.

lVhat is claimed is 1. A drum comprising a body portion having a threaded collar extending about the same rings extending about the upper and lower ends of said body portion, heads of flexible material for said body portion connected with said rings, hoops engaging said rings, adjusting bands extending about said body portion and internally threaded to engage the threads of said collar, and strips connecting said bands with said hoops and serving as hand holds to turn the hoops and bands.

2. A drum comprising a body portion having a threaded collar extending about the same, adjusting bands threaded upon said collar, heads of flexible material for said body portion, hoops having operative engagement with said flexible heads, and turning strips connecting said adjusting bands with said hoops.

In testimony whereof I affix my signa ture in presence of two witnesses.

FRED L. OCONNER. lVitnesses:

THOMAS J. WALSH, BERTHA L. PARKER. 

